Nepal is hosting several significant events at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday. The events aim to amplify Nepal’s voice on climate change impacts, particularly in mountainous and coastal regions, and advocate for enhanced climate finance.
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, leading the Nepali delegation, arrived in Antalya on Sunday, November 8, 2026, and is scheduled to address the opening session of COP31 on Monday. The conference officially runs from November 9 to November 20, 2026.
Among the programs scheduled for Monday, November 9, 2026, is ‘Nepal’s Climate Voice—From Sagarmatha to the Sea: Expanding Climate Finance and Implementation’ by Clean Energy Nepal, from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM local time. This event focuses on increasing climate finance and effective climate action to address the impacts of climate change from Mount Everest to the oceans.
Later on Monday, from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM, the Government of Nepal will host ‘Nepal: From Mountains to the Sea—A Call for Immediate Climate Action and Increased Climate Finance’. This program will urge the international community to take immediate action to address the effects of climate change in mountainous and coastal areas and to increase adequate, accessible, and grant-based climate finance for developing and climate-vulnerable nations.
Another important event on Monday, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM, is ‘Nepal, ZOI, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan and ICIMOD: Strengthening Mountain Region Resilience through Adaptation Finance’. This session, co-hosted by Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), will discuss mobilizing and expanding adaptation finance to protect and enhance the resilience of mountain regions vulnerable to climate change.
Foreign Minister Khanal will also participate in a high-level event titled ‘Advancing the Mountain Agenda: Glacier, Cryosphere and Resilience Under Overshoot, Shared Responsibility and Sustainable Financing’, jointly organized by Nepal, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, and Pakistan. He is scheduled to return to Nepal on November 14, 2026.
Following Minister Khanal, Minister for Agriculture, Forest and Environment Geeta Chaudhary will lead the Nepali delegation during the second week of the conference, from November 15 to 20, 2026. She is expected to participate in various high-level and side events, holding bilateral meetings with counterpart ministers and other dignitaries.
Minister Chaudhary has stated that Nepal will prioritize climate justice, mountain issues, loss and damage, and climate finance at COP31. She emphasized that Nepal will strongly present its national priorities and the realities of the climate crisis to the international community. Nepal and Bhutan have jointly put forward the agenda of ‘1.5 Degrees Celsius Temperature Increase and Mountain Regions’.
Nepal has established its national pavilion at COP31 this year, planning to host over 40 side events. This pavilion will serve as a platform to convey Nepal’s climate realities, the experiences of local communities, and the voices of youth, women, civil society, and the private sector to the international community.
During the conference, Nepal and South Korea are also scheduled to sign a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on carbon trading, which is expected to create new opportunities for cooperation in carbon market development and climate mitigation.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Mishra, Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment, highlighted that COP31 is a crucial opportunity for Nepal to present the realities of its climate crisis, establish common issues for mountain nations, strengthen demands for climate justice, and expand international cooperation.
Nepal, despite its minimal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, faces disproportionate impacts from climate change. Recent climate-related disasters, such as floods in the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa on August 26, 2026, and the Budhigandaki River on September 25, 2026, have caused significant human, economic, and non-economic losses. Initial estimates suggest approximately $4.7 billion is needed for reconstruction and rehabilitation from the August 2026 disaster alone, equivalent to about 10 percent of Nepal’s national GDP.
The Himalayan region is experiencing temperature increases faster than the global average and serves as a water source for nearly 2 billion people. Nepal is working towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2045 through forest conservation, renewable energy, climate adaptation, and resilient development.
Nepal has received $21.6 million from the Loss and Damage Fund and has had three projects worth approximately $45 million approved for the Adaptation Fund. Nepal also plans to push for the effective implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, adopted at COP21 in Paris in 2015, which provides a framework for international carbon markets and cooperation.
Background
- Nepal has publicly released its national position paper ahead of COP31, outlining its priorities for negotiations.
- Nepal has been organizing high-level programs and dialogues on mountain issues since COP28.
- Nepal hosted the National Climate Change Conference 2026, aiming to build a common understanding on issues like climate justice, loss and damage, equitable access to climate finance, adaptation, disaster resilience, sustainable agriculture, nature-based solutions, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
What happens next
Foreign Minister Khanal will participate in the World Leaders' Summit on November 11 and 12, 2026.
